With over 20 billion photos shared since its launch in 2010 and 1.6 billion likes every day, Instagram is the fastest growing social network and one of the most popular social platforms these days. Instagram is commonly used to promote businesses and there are many benefits of choosing this platform over the others. Learn more about Instagram by following our simple tips.

What makes Instagram so special?

Instagram is not the only photo and video sharing website available and is not the most technologically advanced one. And yet its popularity, especially among teenagers and young adults is unquestionable. What makes Instagram so special is the ideology behind the service. Instagram is a way of life, so to speak, and it offers a glimpse into the life of other users. By sharing precious moments of their lives users create unique stories about themselves, stories, which are engaging enough to capture the interest of hundreds of followers.

Instagram can be also characterized by the quality of published materials: high resolution, stylish photos and high quality films, which beautifully capture details of presented items.

Why Instagram is a recommended platform for eCommerce promotion?

Unlike other social media, Instagram is business-friendly. The service does not use any internal algorithms, which determine what type of content is shown to users. It means that your followers will be able to see everything you publish. If you need more information about Instagram, the service has recently launched a special section for business and plans to create a platform for the advertising community in a near future.

Instagram is free and easy to use, although for a smooth integration with your online store you might need to hire Magento back-end developers. To start using Instagram you have to download an application from one of app stores and register as a new user.

How to use Instagram to your advantage?

Instagram is perfect for creating and promoting a brand image. Instead of publishing hundreds of product photos, use this opportunity to tell your followers more about your company and convey an image of your brand’s main values. Instagram provides you with simple tools for editing your pictures, including the famous Instagram filters, so all you need is good quality, unique photos.

When you publish your images, tag them to add the location where the photo was taken. Use hashtags, but keep them short and do not use more than three at a time. And most importantly engage in the community, follow other users and encourage them to follow you. Like and share photos posted by other users, especially when these images are somehow related to your products. For better integration of your Instagram, blogs and e-commerce websites order Magento web services configuration.

Is it effective?

The more you become engaged in Instagram community, the more you probably wonder how your activities affect your sales? So far Instagram has not released any official tool, which would allow its users to monitor the number of visits, likes and click-through rates. However, applications such as Iconosquare provide simple metrics, which will help you measure the popularity of your Instagram profile.